Mission statement:

Armed and Safe is a gun rights advocacy blog, with the mission of debunking the "logic" of the enemies of the Constitutionally guaranteed, fundamental human right of the individual to keep and bear arms.

I can be reached at 45superman@gmail.com.You can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/45superman.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Written, Constitutional guarantee of rights is a bad idea, according to British subject

It's certainly not news that there is widespread disdain in the UK for the Second Amendment's Constitutional guarantee of the absolute, fundamental human right of the individual to keep and bear arms. What is surprising, to me at any rate, is seeing it argued that enshrining the protection of any right in a written constitution is a silly, outmoded idea. That, however, is apparently the position of George Robinson, a member of The Guardian's editorial staff.

He starts out with the typical (in the UK) contempt for the Second Amendment, specifically:

The so called 'right to bear arms'. The Second Amendment.
It's not "so-called 'right to bear arms'"--it's a genuine, bona fide, fundamental, human right.
The untouchable written clause in the American way that gives anyone - from a yeehaa Texan President to a yahoo Detroit drug dealer - the God-given right to wield a weapon capable of causing death.
For an Englishman, George's grasp of English seems a bit . . . less than impressive, when he refers to the right to keep and bear arms as being "given" to the people by the Second Amendment (a fallacy that is a real pet peeve of mine), and then, in the same sentence, refers to it as "God-given." It can't be both, George.
How? Why? I don't get it.
You certainly don't, George--finally, something on which we can agree. I suppose we have found common ground, after all.

So, far, of course, he has said nothing that should surprise anyone familiar with how the right to keep and bear arms is viewed in the UK--or among the advocates of forcible citizen disarmament here, for that matter. It's the next bit that floors me.
For anyone who doesn't know, America is governed by a written constitution. A series of amendments cast in stone - like the Commandments handed to Moses.

The UK is governed by an unwritten constitution. The UK's laws are not easily changed, but if a law becomes archaic, out-dated or unworkable, it can be changed. You've got more chance of hell freezing over than you have of changing the US constitution.
First, even if one discounts the ten amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights, hell has apparently frozen over seventeen times, most recently in 1992, when the Twenty-Seventh Amendment was ratified.

That blatant mischaracterization of the U.S Constitution is not what has me worked up, though--it's his apparent contention that an "unwritten constitution" (which sounds about as useful to me as an unloaded gun) is somehow superior to a codified set of limits on governmental power.
These laws were adopted in 1789, a time when a police force per se did not exist. The reason people kept arms was because the people WERE the police. They were asked to keep watch on the community and confront any suspicious persons.

So let me get this straight. The most powerful and developed country in the world is being run in accordance with rules set when people still thought the Earth was flat?

Well, not quite, but you can see my point through the hyperbole.
The "Earth is flat" idea had obviously been pretty soundly discredited about three hundred years before the late 18th century ratification of the Bill of Rights, and although Robinson acknowledges the use of "hyperbole" in that reference, he liked it enough to use it both in the quoted text and in the title of his little editorial.

If ever there is a Tyranny's Best Friend Award for which to compete, Josh Horwitz probably has it locked up on the U.S. level, but Robinson's opposition to written constitutions will make him tough competition on the global level.

16 comments:

the pistolero said...

From everything I've read about the Guardian, it's pretty much just slightly to the left of Pravda. As for the mediot who wrote that column, one wonders what the hell he's so worked up about, if he doesn't even live here. Yeehaa Texan President? Yahoo Detriot drug dealer? Somebody has some REALLY deep-seated personal issues.

opaww said...

Is it any wander coming from a person who lives in a country, which does not trust its people in any way shape or form?

Not to mention that the people in the U.K. are irresponsible and cannot fathom the responsibilities in private ownership of weapons. They cannot even own sharp pointed knives for fear they just might cut their selves while making dinner.

Anonymous said...

he's a Brit. 'nuff said. used to living on his knees and likes it. Puts his face at the pleasure level of his masters. Cannot tolerate free peoples.

Kurt '45superman' Hofmann said...

I still don't understand what the hell happened in Britain. It wasn't that long ago that the Brits took the everything the Luftwaffe (the most terrifying air force ever seen, at that time) could give them--and it just pissed 'em off.

That's what scares me about where we might be headed--cultural emasculation can clearly happen rather quickly--and we've been moving in that direction for a while, now.

me said...

there sure is a whole lotta stupid going on across the pond.

The UK is governed by an unwritten constitution.

and fucktards like you just go along with the crap they're feeding you...it's for your own good that they pad lamp posts, and remove fire extinguishes, and have cameras leering into your bedrooms, and banned guns, and ban knives, and collect DNA from kids climbing trees, and arrest guys in their own homes for laughing too loud, and take you to court for putting trash out too early or in a container where the lid won't fully close, or if you feed your kid and accidentally drop a bit of food....

Please Mr super advanced and enlightened douche bag, for the sake of humanity's continuation and "evolution" PLEASE, I beg you, KILL YOURSELVES NOW!

Anonymous said...

What confuses me is that the British apparently spend enough time thinking about American law to have an opinion. I don't waste my time thinking about Belgian, Chinese, Lybian, or even British law since I am not subject to it. Why do they waste their time caring about ours?

Anonymous said...

God bless the Brits!
Those poor dregs, the leftovers from centuries of Empire and expansion, in their befuddled daze of unreasoned fear and self loathing, have given us a perfect example of how truly stupid draconian gun controls really are. Now if only our own homegrown fools will just pay attention.
It's just not that difficult. Disarm the citizens and the yobs take over. Cops can't do it alone, there isn't enough money in any GDP to pay for that much enforcement. And if we could how long before someone recognized that what we had was a perfect model of a police state?

Anonymous said...

Why do they (British) waste their time caring about ours (our laws)?

Jealousy and fear.

The Brits are jealous of our freedoms and wealth. Some of which they used to enjoy when the Empire and the Industrial Revolution where in full swing.

The oligarchy fears that someday the working class might see what Americans have and wonder why they can't have some to, please.

B Smith said...

As for me, I wonder how long it'll be before American assistance is needed to bail the Europeans out of trouble in another war (probably with the Muslims, which a lot of ordinary citizens of several European countries are beginning to regard as a problem).
Wonder if they'll stipulate that the threat be dealt with using only military-owned weapons, and any sort of 'lend-lease', or donation of private arms will be firmly rebuffed as barbaric and unneeded ?
Anonymous: I think this guy pins his hope on the possibility that America will join some 'benevolent and enlightened' super-union of world governments (administered by the UN?), and that private ownership of firearms would impede that ideal. Or maybe it's as simple as a case of 'misery loves company'.

Anonymous said...

without a written constitution you can get things like THIS

Enjoy


-hairy hobbit

Kurt '45superman' Hofmann said...

without a written constitution you can get things like THIS


I could understand cracking down on assault hats, but I think they're going too far, in regulating hats that have legitimate sporting purposes ;-).

Anonymous said...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Patriots Sought For Independence Day Instruction Opportunity

July 4th-6th, 2008

Proctor, VT
Piru, CA
Ottawa, IL
Ramseur, NC
Canon City, CO

The Revolutionary War Veteran’s Assoc. intends to ride the momentum of their April 19th Appleseed Training events into the Independence Day Weekend. On April 19th, 2008, 527 Citizens across the Nation, gathered at 14 different rifle ranges to simultaneously learn firearms safety, marksmanship, and some Revolutionary War History.

What is Appleseed? The Appleseed Project is a grassroots effort, by a 501.c.3, Non-profit, all volunteer organization, to preserve and pass on traditional rifle marksmanship skills, to Americans across this Nation. This is the third year that the RWVA has been hosting Appleseed Shoots, with the intention of rekindling the American Spirit that gave birth to this wonderful Nation. The Goals of the RWVA, have been high since the very beginning, doubling National attendance every year!

This year marks the 3rd year, and that goal translates to 4000 attendees over the course of the year. At first that may seem like a lot, but on 4/19/1775, 14,000 Volunteers showed up with only six hours notice! To aid us in our goals, Independence Day Weekend Appleseed Shoots are being scheduled across the Country.

Three days of Marksmanship Instruction and Revolutionary War History lessons will undoubtedly leave an impression on all of the attendees. That impression, the RVWA hopes, will be a freshly instilled appreciation of the Founding of this Country and the confidence instilled by newly developed marksmanship skills and knowledge of the safe use of firearms.

Appleseed Shoots are family friendly, and by far, the most cost effective marksmanship instruction available. Attendees under the age of 21 and all members of the Military can attend FREE! This special July 4th presentation of the Appleseed Shoot offers a third day FREE to all who attend. The standard fee (with pre-registration) for an Appleseed is $70 for two days (plus range fees, if any), however, this July 4th will have 3 days of Appleseed for the price of 2! Attendee’s are responsible for their own rifles and ammunition (expect to use 250 rounds of ammunition per day), and eye and ear protection. For further information, please visit us online at: www.appleseedinfo.org

Or you can contact us at:

RWVA
PO Box 756
Ramseur, NC 27316

For specific Proctor, VT information go here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=1204.0

For specific Piru, CA information go here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=1318.0

For specific Ottawa, IL information go here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=1635.0

For specific Ramseur, NC information go here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=1205.0

For specific Canon City, CO information go here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=1712.0

Kurt '45superman' Hofmann said...

Thanks for the information about Appleseed, Anon--I decided it was worth a post of its own.

Bill O' Rites said...

Some of you people have a bloody strange idea of what we think on this side of the Pond & take some dimwitted left wing noodle's waffling as being representative.
We also happen to be citizens & not subjects.
For those interested in history: YOUR Bill of Rights is based on OURs & more than a few of us see the document as being our Constitution.
As a self admitted "gun nut" who has plenty of opportunity to converse with "ordinary people" I can attest that MOST of them would feel happier if WE had a Second Amendment.

Kurt '45superman' Hofmann said...

BoR, being a resident of one of the most restrictive states in the U.S., I can certainly empathize with someone stuck in a place in which the government, and much of the media, is bent on disarming the populace.

I truly do hope that much of what I've read from your side of the pond has given me a distorted idea of the extent of anti-gun sentiment over there.

Still--if, as you seem to imply, a majority supports the idea of explicit Constitutional protection for the right to keep and bear arms, you don't seem to have made yourselves heard very clearly.

There comes a time when one is forced to come to grips with the fact that politely asking for one's rights just doesn't get the job done.

At that time, one had better come up with a Plan B, and the will to implement it.

me said...

At that time, one had better come up with a Plan B, and the will to implement it.

"We" did a couple hundred years ago, and we weren't taking anywhere NEAR the level of abuse you guys are now, with no signs of stopping anytime soon I might add.

As David said before, "let them squeeze!" They will make our case for us and convert the masses to the pro-rights way of thinking much easier then we little voices ever could. Get the tools, get the skills, and there's nothing they can do to stop you.